By Naledi Ngcobo

This is despite several positive signs of easing food cost pressures throughout the economy including the relaxation of load shedding, the strengthening of the rand against the United States Dollar and decreasing fuel prices.

The commission says despite lower farm gate prices for wheat, the producer price of brown bread increased over the period under review among others.

Siyabulela Makunga is the Spokesperson of the Competition Commission.

“This edition of the food pricing report found that easing cost pressures have been slow to translate to lowering food prices in essential food value chains. As an example, if one looks at the steep decline in average producer price of cooking oil, it has not translated into lower average retail prices for this essential food products. As a result, the producer to retail spread for cooking oil is now above the levels seen immediately before the onset of the war in Ukraine.”

--SABC--